Semantic Web, Open Data and BIM

Stephen Crompton, our Chief Technology Officer (pictured), recently attended the latest ThinkBIM Twilight Seminar on 1st June ‘Connecting Project Data beyond the Site Boundary’ and gave a talk on RetroBIM and how Linked Data using the Semantic Web was possible, and to explain its benefits.

“A real privilege to speak at a BIM event which encouraged discussion outside of the normal topics. Some great questions and feedback from the floor, thought-provoking presentations from my panel colleagues – Tom and Paul, plus excellent chairing by Natacha (Redon) made for a very enjoyable evening back in my home county”.

Data is and always will be the key

Not that we want to reiterate the point too often – however, it’s what we do and we’re bound to do so – information and data are the key to how we see Building Information Modelling becoming a truly useful part of built assets from conception to management. Digital models are only as good as the data that is in them, connected to them and made easily accessible through them. As Paul Wilkinson (Extranet Evolution) writes, with Linked Data and Semantic Web technology, ‘BIM, therefore, becomes just part of a bigger built asset data picture’.

Paul continues to explain in his follow-up article to the event why semantic technologies for BIM are so exciting and covers the key topics presented by all the speakers, including a round-up of the resulting panel discussions. (You can read his full article here).

Learn more about how we’re using Linked Data

Other data experts

Others at the event included Tom Forth, an associate of the ODI Leeds and founder of Imactivate and Ordnance Survey’sPaul Griffiths. The hosts were Leeds based smart communications solutions provider AQL. Paul Wilkinson’s round-up explains further about how they’re organisations are working with data and why Open Data is such a huge topic in the UK right now.